This month, we've gathered biography and autobiography recommendations for you. These have all been out for a few years, so you're likely to find them readily available for checkout.
You'll discover them on the first floor at call number 921, alphabetized by the subject's name. We hope you find something intriguing on our list!
"Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole" by Jerri Nielsen
In 1999, Dr. Jerri Nielsen made headlines around the world when she discovered a lump in her breast that a self-administered biopsy revealed to be an aggressive, fast-growing cancer. Reading about the race to save her life seems fitting as the chill of winter approaches.
"The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini"by Ruth Brandon
Ninety-one years after his death, Harry Houdini continues to fascinate us. The author shows how Houdini's obsession with his own mortality drove him to create the death-defying stunts that not only captivated the public but also subdued his own raging psychological demons.Houdini spent a substantial part of his childhood in Appleton.
"Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie - A Tale of Love and Fallout" By Lauren Redniss
Radioactive may be the most unusual biography included, due to its hand-drawn presentation. It draws upon the author's original reporting, her interviews with scientists, engineers, weapons specialists, atomic bomb survivors and Marie and Pierre Curie's own granddaughter. It also serves as a nice bridge between traditional prose and graphic novels.
"A Reporter's Life" by Walter Cronkite
The ever-dignified Cronkite shares the story of his involvement in the early days of radio and television broadcasting. It includes great anecdotes, and a frank account of Cronkite's dismay at the direction CBS News took years after his departure.
"Mommie Dearest" by Christina Crawford
Is it fact or fiction? Joan Crawford's daughter paints the iconic actress as an alcoholic and a child abuser and describes the grim reality of her childhood with a mother who was ruthless, unstable and violent. The book created a sensation when it appeared almost 40 years ago and remains controversial to this day. Whether you believe it or not, it's an engrossing read.
"Spirit in Action: Jane Addams" by Louise W. Knight
In the first full biography of Addams in nearly 40 years, the author shows Addams's boldness, creativity and tenacity as she sought ways to put the ideals of democracy into action. The author of the classic "Twenty Years at Hull House" was born and raised just 17 miles from Monroe in Cedarville.
"Christmas in Plains: Memories" by Jimmy Carter
In this small but often touching book, Jimmy Carter remembers the Christmas days of his Plains boyhood. He recounts the simplicity of family and community gift-giving, his father's eggnog, the children's house decorations, the school nativity pageant and the poignancy of his neighbors' poverty, before moving on to a few Christmases of his adult life.
"The Story of My Life: The Restored Classic" by Helen Keller
The original version of Keller's and Annie Sullivan's story, first published in 1903, was out of print for many years and virtually unknown to the public. Keller's account was written during her college years and covers her life until the age of 21.
"Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter" by Kate Clifford Larson
The story of John F. Kennedy's sister Rosemary reminds us of how drastically society's view of intellectual disabilities has changed in a just a few generations. It details her parents' desperate arrangements to keep her away from home as she became increasingly intractable and her father's eventual decision and its devastating consequences.
"Twelve Years a Slave" by Solomon Northup
You may have seen the highly regarded 2013 film based on this work. Generations of readers have been engrossed by the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York. He was kidnapped by slave hunters and sold into slavery, where he endured unimaginable degradation and abuse until his rescue 12 years later.
"Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig" by Jonathan Eig
Lou Gehrig was a true baseball icon, the stoic New York Yankee, a man whose consecutive-games streak was halted by a devastating disease that now bears his name. This definitive biography shows that Gehrig's life was more complicated and heroic than anyone really knew.
"Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned" by Alan Alda
Alda's memoir is as elegant, funny, and affecting as the legendary actor's greatest performances. At its core, the book is a moving and funny story of a boy growing into a man who then realizes he has only just begun to grow. Like many MASH episodes, this will give you reasons to laugh and cry.
"A Prison Diary" by Jeffrey Archer
In 2001, author Jeffrey Archer was sentenced to four years in prison for perjury. He was to spend the first 22 days and 14 hours in HMP Belmarsh, a high-security prison in South London, which houses some of Britain's most violent criminals. This is his daily record of the time he spent there. It was followed by two sequels as he served out his sentence.
"The Education of Henry Adams: An Autobiography" by
Henry Adams
If you're up for a challenge, you might want to take on the winner of the 1919 Pulitzer Prize, which records the struggle of Henry Adams (the son and grandson of presidents) in his later years to come to terms with the dawning 20th century, so different from the world of his youth. It's not the most accessible book, but highly rewarding if you stick with it.
- Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is published the fourth Wednesday of the month.
You'll discover them on the first floor at call number 921, alphabetized by the subject's name. We hope you find something intriguing on our list!
"Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole" by Jerri Nielsen
In 1999, Dr. Jerri Nielsen made headlines around the world when she discovered a lump in her breast that a self-administered biopsy revealed to be an aggressive, fast-growing cancer. Reading about the race to save her life seems fitting as the chill of winter approaches.
"The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini"by Ruth Brandon
Ninety-one years after his death, Harry Houdini continues to fascinate us. The author shows how Houdini's obsession with his own mortality drove him to create the death-defying stunts that not only captivated the public but also subdued his own raging psychological demons.Houdini spent a substantial part of his childhood in Appleton.
"Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie - A Tale of Love and Fallout" By Lauren Redniss
Radioactive may be the most unusual biography included, due to its hand-drawn presentation. It draws upon the author's original reporting, her interviews with scientists, engineers, weapons specialists, atomic bomb survivors and Marie and Pierre Curie's own granddaughter. It also serves as a nice bridge between traditional prose and graphic novels.
"A Reporter's Life" by Walter Cronkite
The ever-dignified Cronkite shares the story of his involvement in the early days of radio and television broadcasting. It includes great anecdotes, and a frank account of Cronkite's dismay at the direction CBS News took years after his departure.
"Mommie Dearest" by Christina Crawford
Is it fact or fiction? Joan Crawford's daughter paints the iconic actress as an alcoholic and a child abuser and describes the grim reality of her childhood with a mother who was ruthless, unstable and violent. The book created a sensation when it appeared almost 40 years ago and remains controversial to this day. Whether you believe it or not, it's an engrossing read.
"Spirit in Action: Jane Addams" by Louise W. Knight
In the first full biography of Addams in nearly 40 years, the author shows Addams's boldness, creativity and tenacity as she sought ways to put the ideals of democracy into action. The author of the classic "Twenty Years at Hull House" was born and raised just 17 miles from Monroe in Cedarville.
"Christmas in Plains: Memories" by Jimmy Carter
In this small but often touching book, Jimmy Carter remembers the Christmas days of his Plains boyhood. He recounts the simplicity of family and community gift-giving, his father's eggnog, the children's house decorations, the school nativity pageant and the poignancy of his neighbors' poverty, before moving on to a few Christmases of his adult life.
"The Story of My Life: The Restored Classic" by Helen Keller
The original version of Keller's and Annie Sullivan's story, first published in 1903, was out of print for many years and virtually unknown to the public. Keller's account was written during her college years and covers her life until the age of 21.
"Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter" by Kate Clifford Larson
The story of John F. Kennedy's sister Rosemary reminds us of how drastically society's view of intellectual disabilities has changed in a just a few generations. It details her parents' desperate arrangements to keep her away from home as she became increasingly intractable and her father's eventual decision and its devastating consequences.
"Twelve Years a Slave" by Solomon Northup
You may have seen the highly regarded 2013 film based on this work. Generations of readers have been engrossed by the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York. He was kidnapped by slave hunters and sold into slavery, where he endured unimaginable degradation and abuse until his rescue 12 years later.
"Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig" by Jonathan Eig
Lou Gehrig was a true baseball icon, the stoic New York Yankee, a man whose consecutive-games streak was halted by a devastating disease that now bears his name. This definitive biography shows that Gehrig's life was more complicated and heroic than anyone really knew.
"Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned" by Alan Alda
Alda's memoir is as elegant, funny, and affecting as the legendary actor's greatest performances. At its core, the book is a moving and funny story of a boy growing into a man who then realizes he has only just begun to grow. Like many MASH episodes, this will give you reasons to laugh and cry.
"A Prison Diary" by Jeffrey Archer
In 2001, author Jeffrey Archer was sentenced to four years in prison for perjury. He was to spend the first 22 days and 14 hours in HMP Belmarsh, a high-security prison in South London, which houses some of Britain's most violent criminals. This is his daily record of the time he spent there. It was followed by two sequels as he served out his sentence.
"The Education of Henry Adams: An Autobiography" by
Henry Adams
If you're up for a challenge, you might want to take on the winner of the 1919 Pulitzer Prize, which records the struggle of Henry Adams (the son and grandson of presidents) in his later years to come to terms with the dawning 20th century, so different from the world of his youth. It's not the most accessible book, but highly rewarding if you stick with it.
- Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is published the fourth Wednesday of the month.